For the Love of Death: Somnophilic and Necrophilic Acts and Fantasies

In this paper, Dr. Knafo demonstrates the forms of fantasy, playacting, and actual behavior that lie along a spectrum of romantic or sexual behavior involving people who are sleeping, drugged, immobile, inanimate, comatose, or dead. Regardless of these distinctions, however, the underlying dynamics commonly involve reunion with the mother, an inability to mourn, fear of the female, and an attempt at mastering and transcending the fear of death. To highlight these psychodynamics, a clinical case of somnophilia, Pedro Almodóvar's Talk to Her (a film about romantic relationships with comatose women), and the case of Count von Cosel, a quixotic necrophiliac, are presented. Gender differences are emphasized in the analysis of case material and cultural tropes.

Danielle Knafo, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst, a prolific author, and a popular speaker. She is also a professor at LIU-Post in its clinical psychology doctoral program. Additionally, she is faculty and supervisor at NYU’s Postdoctoral Program for Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis. She writes and lectures on many subjects, including creativity, trauma, psychosis, sexuality and gender, and technology. She maintains a private practice in Manhattan and Great Neck, NY.